Ruffled Tree Skirt

All the shopping is done and the gifts are wrapped. The cookies are baked, cards are stamped, the salt dough ornaments are made and you are lounging on the couch wondering… what am I going to do for the next 10 days? Well we are here to save the day! HAHA! You can make this Ruffled Tree Skirt! That’s what I did in every spare minute for the last 4 days! Maybe not the best use of these precious countdown days but isn’t it pretty? This Ruffle Christmas Tree skirt makes me happy.1. Cut a 44″ diameter circle from a large piece of felt, fleece, or wool. An old blanket would work well but you can also use a sheet in a pinch. To draw a circle, pin one end of a string to the center of the fabric and tie a marker to the other end (22″ out.) With string stretched to the max, draw your circle.

2. Draw a straight line out from the center to the edge of the circle. Repeat 3 times at 90 degrees to make a “+”

3. Ignore that you can’t see the “+”. Mark 3″ out on each line and draw a 3″ radius (6″ diameter) circle out from center.

4. Now draw a circle 7″ out from center. Repeat 3 more times adding 4″ to the circle each time. Your last section will be less than 4″

5. Cut up one of the lines and cut out the center circle.

6. Compose your fabric layout. I love the way different fabrics look in the rows but I think this would also look really nice in all one color, especially white. A sheet would be really cost effective! At the very least use inexpensive broadcloth with maybe an accent of designer fabric.

You want to end up with strips that are 6″ tall when finished so if you are going to leave the edge raw or do a rolled hem, just cut them 6″. If you are going to hem them, add seam allowance.

7. Along the top of each strip trim with pinking shears. This wont show on the finished piece.

8. And I finished the bottom of each strip with a rolled hem on the serger.

9. At the end of each row, I ran the hem out a few extra inches before cutting off. Like I said, if you aren’t going to do a rolled hem, you can do a pinking shear edge or iron and sew a small seam.

10. Along the top edge, do a basting stitch about 1/4″ in. If you pull the back thread on one end, your fabric will gather.

11. You will need to gather each strip down to between 16″ & 18″ depending on the row.

12. Lay them out, starting with outside circle and adjust ruffle width accordingly, leave a seam on the cut edge. When you have proper ruffle-ing, tie the thread on both sides so your ruffles stay put.

13. With right sides facing, sew the ruffles end to end.

14. Trim off the rolled hem end and add a dab of glue to secure.

15. Now you will attach the ruffle to the outside circle using your most outer marker circle as a guide. You can pin it if it makes you more comfortable but it was pretty easy without it.

17. Now take a length of 1/2″ double fold Bias Tape. Long enough to go around the center circle and tie a large bow.

Flip over your skirt. Open the bias tape and pin the shorter side along the edge of the open center circle, starting the center of the tape at the center of the circle.

18. Continue pinning around the edge of the circle.

19. Sew the bias tape to the circle. Note that I didn’t sew along the first fold per usual but about 1/4″ in.

20. Fold the tape up and over the edge and pin in place to cover the stitching.

21. Starting at the end of the bias tape, fold in the end and sew in place with a few forward and back stitches.

22. Start at the end of the tape and sew all the way up to the ruffled tree skirt, continue around the circle and continue out to the end of the tape, finishing the second end the same as the first.
And you are done! What do you think? Willing to give this Ruffled Tree Skirt a go?For a more simple version of the Ruffled Tree Skirt, try our Felt Fringe Christmas Tree Skirt. It’s no-sew!

Well, my Christmas to do list just got one task longer. I swear you ladies read my mind. Just this weekend I'm thinking, "I should make a tree skirt, but I don't know how, so I'll have to look one up." Then you come up with a crazy-cute tutorial. Thanks so much!!!

OMG! I spent hours in Joanns on black friday buying a bunch of fun non-christmasy fabric(you have to know my style) to make a tree skirt but could not find a tutorial i liked. This is SO what I am making with the fabric! Very non-traditional…our tree will be awesome…next year!

Oh my! This is AMAZING! Seriously, this is my dream tree skirt. LOVE IT! Love the fabric, love the ruffles. The only thing I dislike about it, is now I'm going to have to take my girlies out in the snow to buy more Christmas fabric so I can make one for myself! 😉 Michelle

You're right! I'd definitely love to squeeze this project in before the holidays. But, between the 3 sock monkeys to sew, a treasure box to paint, a couple dozen cookie tins to fill and 5 little ones stockings to buy for and stuff… I'm all squeezed out. Maybe I can pick up some clearance holiday fabric for a head start on next year?

Oh my gosh, I LOVE that tree skirt. Great job. There is a link above saying click here to get the tree skirt but it just loads the same post. Is that supposed to be something else such as a pdf or something?

I LOVE THIS! only wish I could sew like you do How odd is the fact that you are my hero I love all the thing you sew and I try so hard but most don't come out like yours do. I do agree with others I too would love to own you serger!! I think you do such amazing job at everything you sew!

Ok, so the tutorial is fantastic and the tree skirt is GORGEOUS, yes, but. . . . I adore it on the precious cherubs. Kudos to capturing the delicious merry moment. I am currently stitching out two more toiletry bags for some college girls at church, but I have run into a snag on the lining of a gorgeous cape for my sister-in-law, as she came early and I can't sew her gift in front of her. ARGH! How do you stealthily stitch?

I LOVE this tree skirt! I've been wanting a new one as long as I've been with my husband – I think his tree skirt is the only real disappointment he brought into our marriage! It's an icky circle of practically neon red felt-like-stuff that leaves fuzzies EVERYWHERE. I'm definitely going to take advantage of post-Christmas fabric sales and have a new tree skirt (and a disappointment-free marriage?) next year!

I love this. I have been looking for a Christmas Tree skirt (or one to make) for YEARS now, but they are all so drab or heavy velvet and brocade-looking. This is so happy and bright! I only hand-sew, so it would take me all year, but your is perfect!<3

Oh my! Just gorgeous! I knew there was a reason I didn't make a tree skirt this year..I was holding out for THIS! It won't happen this year but then I will have all year to work on it for 2011, lol!Thanks for the tut!

A real gem of a tree skirt. Congratulations on your creativity. I decided to embroider napkins today since all my chores are done for Christmas. Just waiting for the family to arrive and the fun to begin.

My Christmas "to-do" list is huge — but getting smaller and smaller, fortunately. Now that I have seen your gorgeous tree skirt I am so tempted to add on to my list! I will try very hard to be good and make it for next year — we'll see though!

Love it! I am going to make one for next year – this year. My tree skirt is about 30 years old. My daughter said that it is the only tree skirt she can remember. So out witht the old and create something new.

I have made a Christmas Tree skirt using your tutorial as a guide. Therefore I have credited your tutorial as appropiate. Thank you. It was easy to follow though i did run into some difficulty of my own making. Nothing to do with your instructions. I was surprised to find that when I came back to credit you that our fabric colours are very similar.

I absolutely loved this idea…so I made three of them! One for myself, my sister and my girlfriend. One tip on the ruffling that my mom showed me..after I finished the rolled hem, instead of a basting stitch to ruffle my fabric panels, I used my serger for the finish edgeing, left a tail about two inches long and then used my seam ripper to undo the serged tail, found the middle stitch thread and pulled. I didn’t have to worry about any fraying of the fabric. It worked wonderful on the taffeta fabric tree skirt that I made for myself.

I loved your tree skirt at first sight. I recently bought a serger and sewing/embroidery machine and was looking for a project that I could use them for. Followed your directions and if I do say so myself – it came out fantastic. It took me a week of working on it off and on. Thank you so much for posting.

Hi I had a question I am new to sewing and I misunderstood step #8 to do a rolled hem on the serger. I accidentally purchased a vertical overlocking foot. Can I use this or do I need to order a rolled hem foot. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I am really looking forward to seeing a pretty ruffled skirt like this under my tree 🙂
“if you aren’t going to do a rolled hem, you can do a pinking shear edge or iron and sew a small seam” Is a pinking shear edge just a raw edge cut with a pinking shear? And to iron and sew a small seam, not sure what this means…Again thanks so much I would really appreciate the help.

I made this tree skirt and it is sooooo beautiful! Wow is it heavy. I am so please that I will have this for years to come. I wanted to thank you for sharing your pattern and the time to put it all together. Merry Christmas!

Oh. my. goodness. graciousness. I love everything about this tutorial. I have been perusing all the pins for ruffled tree skirts for days. Search over. I love sewing and wasn’t crazy about using a glue gun. I was looking for something that wasn’t so haphazardly put together. This is perfect! Love the closeups and detailed instructions. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

I have just finished making the skirt as a surprise for my daughter and her family. She sent me the instructions suggesting we make it together but she is frantically busy with her beautiful online and retail store, Little Earth Nest and I know she won’t get time with only 5 days to go until Christmas. We fly east to spend Christmas with them tonight. I’m wondering If I can keep the surprise or will I give in and Skype later just in case she goes to buy fabric. LOVED making it. Thanks so much for the tutorial Merry Christmas to all.